Birds help a Pearson charger to take flight

John Pearson is to the Newlyn School what Margaret Gilmour is to the Glasgow School – an Arts and Crafts metalworker who specialised in repousee work of naturalistic style.

He had founded the Guild of Handicrafts with Charles Ashbee and designed tiles with William de Morgan before arriving in the Cornish village where he made this copper charger pictured right, – the highlight of a Decorative Arts section at the November 5 sale at Phillips Bath (15/10% buyer’s premium).

Hammered out with birds in flight among berry laden vines. the 20in (51cm) charger was signed and dated 1890, and was contested to £3100 – a price at the top end of the market for Pearson. A Pearson charger with the more common design of a galleon surrounded by a border of tendrils and plants, sold at £1050. Other notable results included a c.1962, 8in (21cm) Hans Coper Digswell stoneware vase, at £2000 – the sum also bid for a 1920s lady’s smoking set,
possibly Austrian, comprising cigarette holder, vesta case and roach clip, all mounted with two lines of rose diamonds and fitted in a case.

The sleepers of the silver and works of art sections were a c.1750 Cork sugar bowl by Robert Potter, 51/4oz, at £3200 where £300-400 was expected, and an early Victorian set of 12 mother of pearl buttons decorated with fox hunting scenes, which mustered £1150.

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